Encore performances open Skaneateles Festival

Elinor Freer and David Ying are co-artistic directors of the Skaneateles Festival.

There seems no more fitting way to begin the Skaneateles Festival's 30th anniversary season than with encore performances of some of the wonderful music and stellar musicians heard during the festival's early years.

We are honored to welcome back our distinguished performers this week; each one of them has made an important contribution to the festival's history. Noted international violinist and Syracuse native Mark Kaplan returns to lead Beethoven's joyous Septet (Saturday night), while a longtime festival favorite, cellist Steven Doane, lends his elegant artistry to another Beethoven masterpiece, his eloquent Archduke Trio (Friday night). We're also thrilled to welcome back Naumburg award finalist violinist Renata Knific, clarinetist and University of Michigan faculty Deborah Chodacki, cellist and former festival artistic director Lindsay Groves, Boston-based violist Michelle LaCourse, and many other talented performers.

The music that leads off this year's 30th anniversary celebration is also chosen from the riches of the festival's history. It simply doesn't get any better than Mozart's sublime Quintet for Piano and Winds, or Dvorak's spirited D Major Piano Quartet, both presented on Thursday evening.

In addition to performing wonderful standards from the chamber music repertoire, the festival has always had a commitment to creating and supporting modern music, and so this week we also present a brand-new work, Peter Child's "Pantomime," co-commissioned by SkanFest and featuring outstanding oboist, Peggy Pearson.

We close the week on Saturday evening at Brook Farm, the festival's birthplace, with the sublime Bach Double Concerto, last performed here in 1986, and the glorious Bach Cantata No. 51, featuring festival founders Louise and David Robinson's granddaughter, Joanna Manring. No one associated with the festival can forget David's ringing baritone and his joyous performances of Bach Cantatas at Brook Farm.

These musical memories have created the festival's vibrant present and we hope you'll enjoy celebrating them along with us.

David Ying and Elinor Freer are co-artistic directors of the Skaneateles Festival.